Explosive turbine-engine.



G. D. EIGHMIE` EXPLOSIVE TURBINE ENGINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 21. 1915.

GEORGE D. EIG'HMIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXPLOSIVE TUBBINE-ENG'INE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Application filed May 27, 1915. i Serial No. 30,722.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. EIoHMm, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ExplosiveTurbine-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference.being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inexplosive turbine engines.

The object is to provide a rota motor of the turbine type which will eectively operate in consequence of the explosion of a gaseous mixturetherein, but Will b'e free from any complicated str'ucturalcombinations, havin only a few simple parts which are not like y to getout of order, and whiph are related to each other in a durable andconvenient form so as to develo large power in a comparatively ,smallengine.

It consists essentially in the combinationv with a hollow shaft` havinginlet ports for introducing the explosive mixture to a turbine wheel, ofsuch a wheel formed with a series of curved fan blades and an annularexplosion chamber surrounding said fan, the outer rim of said .chamberconsisting of a stationary cylindrical casing whose wall is formed withalternate solid and slotted segments, there being also; anotherconcentric cylindrical member surrounding the stationary casing, whichlatter member is also made up of alternate solid and slotted segments,the slotted segments in the movable cylinder having their vanesreversely inclined to the vanes in the slotted segments of thestationary cylinder, in order that the impact of the explosionswithinthe explosion 'chamber may increase the pressure within said chamber andcommuni ate motion `to`\the revolving member and thereby actuate' hecentral main shaft; and the invention also comprises numerous detailsand peculiarities in the construction, arrangement and combination ofparts,` substantially as will be hereinafter described and more fullyset forth in the claims. 1

In the accompanying drawing illustrating m invention: Figure 1 isaVertical section o my improved'rotary explosive turbine engine on theline. 1, 1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a transverse .section of the same on theline 'bine wheels.

2, 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view.

Similar characters of reference designatf corresponding parts thoughoutthe difl'erent figures of the drawing.

1 denotes the main horizontal shaft, which is hollow and is provided atintervals, correspondin in number with the number of turbine w eelsemployed in the engine, with a series of inlet ports 2, by which theexplosive mixture coming from any suitable carbureting or other sourcethrough the hollow shaft is directed into the interior of the tur- Theremay be an number of turbine Wheels applying their power to the sameJcentral rotary shaft 1. I will now explain how each one of these Wheelsis constructed and arranged to operate. Each 'wheel consists of a narrowrotary cylinder or flanged disk 3 having a hub 4 bolted or otherwisefirmly secured at 5 to the shaft 1, and a second adjacent flanged disk 6which is stationary, though having the shaft 1 passing through it with aball bearing between them, and being securely bolted o r otherwisefastened at its bottom pedestal`7 to a suitable foundation 8, therebeing a mixing or pressure chamber 9 between the twodisks 3 and 6 intowhich the gas or explosive mixture passes from the inlet ports 2.

The revolving disk '3 is provided with a series of curved vanes or fanblades 10 of greater or less length' which are preferably integral withthe disk Sand have a width substantially equal to the space between thedisks 3 and 6. These fan blades revolve rapidly and the suction created'thereby draws the gas into the engine. The stationary disk 6 isprovided at a point near the fan blades 10 with a cylindrical flange 11having at various points in its length a number of openings 12, say, forexample, three or more; when three, they being obviously 120 degreesapart. These openings lead into the explosion chamber 13, which is anannular chamber between the flange 11 of the stationary Vdisk 6 and asimilar cylindrical closing the openings 12 at certain times during therevolutions of the disk 3, and un- Covering them at other times, theopening being for the purpose of allowing the explosive mixture to passthrough ports 12 into the explosion Chamber 13.

The encircling cylindrical flange 11 on the outer periphery of thestationary disk (3 consists of alternate solid and slotted segments. Thesolid segments 1G have no openings therein, while the slotted segments17, Consist of a series of parallel vanes or blades formed by parallelCuts in the fiange 11 for the entire width thereof, and at right anglesto the face of the disk G as shown clearly in Fig. 1, it being obviousthat the blades 17 may be either straight or Curved. Furthermore, therotary disk 3 has its encircling cylindrical flange 18 similarly formedWith solid segments 19 and intermediate segments 20, the latterconsisting of a series of parallel vanes or blades made by Cutting slotsthrough the entire width of the flange 18 at this point similar to thesegments 17. T hus it will be seen that just outside of the annularexplosion Chamber 13 there is a cylindrical stationary member 14consisting of a series of alternate. solid and slotted segments,immediately surrounding which and Concentric therewith is a similarrevolving Cylindrical member consisting of a similar series of alternatesolid and slotted Sections.

It should be noted, moreover, that the blades of the slotted Sections 20of the revolving member incline in a direction opposite to that of thevanes or blades of the slotted sections 17 of the stationary member, sothat when the explosions occur successively within the explosion Chamber13 the force of the explosions Will be directed by the inclined vanes 17outwardly against the reversely-inclined vanes of the segments 20 of therevolving disk 3, thereby imparting a rotary motion to said disk, andconsequently to the shaft 1 to which it is attached. In the explosionChamber 13, preferably at points opposite to the ports 12, are placedsuitable spark plugs 21, the action of which is timed to correspond.with the introduction of the charge so that the .ignition may take placeat the proper time in the revolution of the parts of the turbine Wheels.

In order to indicate one way in which power may be taken off from thecentral hollow shaft 1, I have shown a pulley 22,

aflixed thereon `at a point between the turbine Wheels, there being inthis example of 'the invention two Wheels at 'each side of the beingmade up of one revolving disk and one stationary disk. VVlien there areseveral wheels, it will be convenient to place them so that two of thestationary disks (S will be formed integral with each other, as shown at21 (Fig. 2), two of the disks 6, therefore, having the same pedestal 7,and likewise the disks 3 of Companion Wheels will be located adjacent toeach other, as shown at the center of Fig. 2. This is only oneconvenient form of placing the parts, and I (lo not wish to be confinedthereto. It is also desirable that ball bearings 25 be p'laced betweenthe shaft 1v and an inner circular hub portion of the stationary disk 6,or

- in the Case of a pair of Wheels the stationary connecting sleeve part24 belonging to two disks (i, so that as the shaft 1 rotates, the ballbearings 25 may contribute to the ease and facility of the revolution.

rl`he operation of my improved rotary eX- plosive engine will be evidentfrom the foregoing dcscription of the construction and arrangement ofthe various mechanical details without 'the need of additionalexplanation. It will be observed that the ports 2 are always open toadmit air and gas through the` hollow shaft 1 into the interior Chamber9 in the wheel or Wheels, where it will be drawn in by the suction ofthe fan blades 10. Immediately after the engine is started and thevalves 15 are released from the ports 12, a charge of the explosivemixture will fill the explosion Chamber 13 and at the proper moment,determined by the timing of the sparking devices, as spark plugs 21, thecharge will be fired in the Chamber 13 and Will act through the vanes 17against the vanes 20, causing the disk or disks 3 to rotate, CarryingWith them the central hollow shaft 1 and rotating the pulley 22, alsodriving belt 23, and so on, the exhaust after each explosion takingplace between the vanes or blades 17 and 20 and into the outer air.

It Will be noted that various changes i-n the precise structure of theseveral parts may be made without exceeding the scope of the inventionor unfavorably affecting the value of the claims, and I, 'therefore,reserve the liberty of making all such Changes as experience may proveto be Wise and expedient.

Having thus descr-ibed my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is;

1. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of disks arranged parallelto each other, one revolving and one stationary, the revolving diskcarrying a series of fan blades and at its outer periphery a series ofvanes, and the stationary disk provided With an apertured cylindricalflange surrounding the i said fan blades and carrying also at itsperiphery a series of vanes which Work in conjunction witlithe vanes ofthe other disk, and valve mean's for allowing the explosive mixture topass from the fan into the space between the apertured flange and theadjacent set of vanes.

2. In an linternal combustion engine, a pair of disks, one revolving andone stationary, therevolving disk having peripheral vanes, groups ofwhich alternate with solid .flange sections, and the stationarydiskvhaving an apertured cylindrical flange and a peripheral series ofvanes, groups of which alternate with solid flange Sections, the vanesof the two disks Icoinciding with each other at times in order to impartrotary motion to the revolving disk.

3. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination of a revolving diskhaving a peripheral cylindrical fiange formed with vanes., and havingalso a series offan blades, a stationary disk having a port-providedfiange and a peripheral cylindrical flange formed with vanes,'therebeing an explosion Chamber between the latter and the port-providedflange, and the peripheral vane-provided 'fianges of the'disks being inworking contact and valve means for allowing the explosive mixture topass from the fan into the space adjacent to the vanes.

4. In a rotary'turbine explosive motor, Ithe combination of a revolvingdisk carrying a series of fan blades and having a peripheralAcylindrical fiange formed with alternate slotted and solid segments, astationary disk having a cylindrical ported flange and at a distancetherefrom on its Aouter edge a cylindrical flange formed with alternatesolid and slotted segments, the peripheral flanges of the disks being inworking contact and having their vanes coinciding with each^other attimes ingorder to impart rotary mo'tion to the revolving disk, and valvemeans for introducing an explosive miXture through the ports'fof theported flange into the space between said fiange Aand lthe ad- Jacentvanes. "i y i i 5.h In a rotary explosive turbine motor, the combinationof a revolving disk having 'a cylindrical peripheral flange formed withvanes, and also havingaseries of fan blades, a stationary disk having acylindrical apertured flange, and at a distance therefrom a cylindricalperipheral flange formed with vanes, the space between said two flangesformmg an explosion chamber, means for coveringthe ports of the portedflange at times during the revolution of the revolving disk, and acentral hollow shaft on which the revolving disk is mounted and throughwhich the explosive mixture is introduced into the turbine. i 6. In anexplosive turbine motor, thefcombination of a central shaft having aseries of inlet ports, a revolving disk secured on4 said shaft, andhvinga cylindrical flange formed with solid portions and alternateslotted portions to provide vanes, a stationary disk having acylindrical apertured flange, and at a distance therefrom anothercylindrical flange formed with solid portions between which are slottedportions to provide vanes, the said :slabe-provided flanges of the twomembers being in operative contact, and the vanes, of the one incliningin a direction opposite tothat of the inclination of the vanes'of theother, a series of fan blades revolving with the revolving disk,covering devices Operating in connection with the apertures in thevapertured flange,

and means for introducing the explosive `mixture into the interior ofthe turbine.

7. In a rotary explosive engine, the' combination of a revolving disk,having a plurality of series of vanes vformed at intervals on theperiphery with interposedsolid flanges between said series of vanes, astationary disk having similar vanes and solid flanges between them,said latter disk having also an apertured cylindrical flange adj acentto which is an explosion cylinder, and

a central hollow shait having a bearing in the stationary disk, andcarrying the revolving disk, and provided with an inlet opening throughwhich the mixture'passing through the hollow shaft may enter the spacebetween the disks. i

8. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination of a revolving diskhaving a peripheral cylindrical fiange formed with vanes, andhaving-also a series of fan blades, '100 and one or more valveprojections', a stationary disk having a cylindrical apertured. flange,and a peripheral cylindrical flange formed with vanes, there being anexplosion Chamber between it and the apertured flange,

ignition devices in said explosion Chamber,

zand a hollow shaft having a bearing in the stationary disk andsupportingthe revolving disk, together with means whereby the ,shafttransmits power.

9: Ina rotary explosive e'ingine, the combination of a revolving diskhaving a cylindriCa'l-flange, sectionsof which are slotted to form'groups of.V inclined vanes between which groups are solid Sections ofthe flange, a stationary vdisk havinga cylindrical flange, Sections ofwhich are slotted to form inclined vanes between which groups the restlof the flange is Vleft solid, the two cylindrical troduci'ng theexplosive mixture into the;

Space COntigilOllS othe aforesaid sets 'of' vanes, and meansforignitingsaid mixture. 10. In a 'rotary-explosive motor, the' c0m-.

bination of a revolving disk having a cylindrical flange formed withgroups of nclined vanes, between which are solid Sections, and havingalso a series of Curved fan blades and one or more port covers, astationary disk having a cylindrical apertured flange, whose aperturesare covered at times by said port covers, and having at a distance from'said fiange a cylindrical peripheral 10 fiange formed with groups ofreversely inclined vanes, between which are solid sections, the spacebetween'said vane-provided flanges and the aforesaid apertured flangeforming an exp'losion Chamber, and means for admitting an explosivemixture into the fan Chamber from which it can-pass into the explosionChamber, together With ignition means.

In testimony Whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE D. EIGHMIE.

